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Hear a word and type it out. How many can you get right?
TAKE THE QUIZ1
a
: a state of resting after exertion or strain
especially
: rest in sleep
b
: eternal or heavenly rest
pray for the repose of a soul
2
a
: a place of rest
b
: peace, tranquility
the repose of the bayous
c
: a harmony in the arrangement of parts and colors that is restful to the eye
3
a
: lack of activity : quiescence
b
: cessation or absence of activity, movement, or animation
the face in repose is grave and thoughtful
4
: composure of manner : poise
reposed; reposing
: to lay at rest
re·pose
reposed; reposing
1
a
: to place (confidence, trust, etc.) in someone or something
b
: to place for control, management, or use
2
archaic
: to put away or set down : deposit
Synonyms
Noun
Verb (1)
Verb (2)
Example Sentences
Noun
typically the wealthy socialite spends most of the morning in repose, is served lunch, and then embarks on an exhaustive afternoon of shopping
enjoyed the repose of a serene summer evening
Recent Examples on the Web
Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Mar. 2023
The 35-year-old star soccer player and activist is in a post-practice repose: barefaced in a black hoodie with her faded purple hair tousled like she’s just woken up from a nap and gold rings on her fingers.
—Ryan Mcginley; Styling By Yashua Simmons, Harper's BAZAAR, 19 May 2021
Throughout recorded history, eruption has been its normal state, which has had only short periods of repose.
—Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2021
And then there's the trunk, which in drugged repose seems an endearing procession of deep, warm wrinkles but in actuality is one of the most formidable instruments in the animal kingdom.
—Klara Glowczewska, Town & Country, 28 Sep. 2021
She’s often shot simply, in quiet repose, or performing all-consuming physical labor, set against the breathtaking vistas of this place, set to the music of cellist Ben Sollee and string trio Time For Three.
—Tribune News Service, cleveland, 12 Feb. 2021
The funeral mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will be live streamed on the Vatican News YouTube channel.
—Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 4 Jan. 2023
Lori asked the faithful to pray for the repose of the soul of the former pope, who was the first to resign in 600 years.
—Cassidy Jensen, Baltimore Sun, 3 Jan. 2023
Van Gogh’s 1889 Peach Trees in Blossom depicts a scene of quiet repose in nature, with few humans in sight, towering mountains in the background and the fruitful trees in the foreground.
—Elizabeth Djinis, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 July 2022
Jeffrey Gantz, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Mar. 2023
Although, based on their various states of repose around a woodstove, our six English setters and two Labradors give the impression that a day off is not too much of an imposition.
—Christine Cunningham, Anchorage Daily News, 20 Nov. 2021
The hour had come to repose the Blessed Sacrament, to move it from exposition to rest.
—New York Times, 26 June 2021
Vincenzo Anastagi, in field armor—the forty-four-year-old sergeant major of Castel Sant’Angelo seen in momentary repose in El Greco’s swagger portrait—commands the room with his suspicious, unflinching gaze.
—Colin B. Bailey, The New York Review of Books, 27 Apr. 2021
Explore the many natural beauties of the state that repose in its parks, beaches and mountains.
—WSJ, 13 Apr. 2021
Ojih Odutola's ability to capture movement and repose felt symbolic.
—Osayi Endolyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2020
Many of us saw it as an end-run around the Senate’s advice-and-consent power (Article II, Section 2), as a way to repose power in radical thinkers who stood no chance of being confirmed.
—Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 17 Apr. 2020
This influence is evident in the way the leads’ full frontal nudity, specifically, is shown in moments of quiet and repose.
—Eleanor Stanford, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2020
Jeffrey Gantz, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Mar. 2023
At that moment, the camera reached the last plate, upon which reposed Bunky.
—Anne Fadiman, Harper’s Magazine , 10 Feb. 2023
Answers repose after each cluster of questions.
—Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 July 2022
Although, based on their various states of repose around a woodstove, our six English setters and two Labradors give the impression that a day off is not too much of an imposition.
—Christine Cunningham, Anchorage Daily News, 20 Nov. 2021
The hour had come to repose the Blessed Sacrament, to move it from exposition to rest.
—New York Times, 26 June 2021
Vincenzo Anastagi, in field armor—the forty-four-year-old sergeant major of Castel Sant’Angelo seen in momentary repose in El Greco’s swagger portrait—commands the room with his suspicious, unflinching gaze.
—Colin B. Bailey, The New York Review of Books, 27 Apr. 2021
Explore the many natural beauties of the state that repose in its parks, beaches and mountains.
—WSJ, 13 Apr. 2021
Ojih Odutola's ability to capture movement and repose felt symbolic.
—Osayi Endolyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2020
See More
Noun
Next to his delicately forlorn paintings and drawings, his photographs feel like a violation; one picture splays a photo of his mother and older sister in idyllic repose into violent contortions.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Mar. 2023
The 35-year-old star soccer player and activist is in a post-practice repose: barefaced in a black hoodie with her faded purple hair tousled like she’s just woken up from a nap and gold rings on her fingers.
—Ryan Mcginley; Styling By Yashua Simmons, Harper's BAZAAR, 19 May 2021
Throughout recorded history, eruption has been its normal state, which has had only short periods of repose.
—Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2021
And then there's the trunk, which in drugged repose seems an endearing procession of deep, warm wrinkles but in actuality is one of the most formidable instruments in the animal kingdom.
—Klara Glowczewska, Town & Country, 28 Sep. 2021
She’s often shot simply, in quiet repose, or performing all-consuming physical labor, set against the breathtaking vistas of this place, set to the music of cellist Ben Sollee and string trio Time For Three.
—Tribune News Service, cleveland, 12 Feb. 2021
The funeral mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will be live streamed on the Vatican News YouTube channel.
—Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 4 Jan. 2023
Lori asked the faithful to pray for the repose of the soul of the former pope, who was the first to resign in 600 years.
—Cassidy Jensen, Baltimore Sun, 3 Jan. 2023
Van Gogh’s 1889 Peach Trees in Blossom depicts a scene of quiet repose in nature, with few humans in sight, towering mountains in the background and the fruitful trees in the foreground.
—Elizabeth Djinis, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 July 2022
Verb
Some deconstructed skeletons, not all human, repose in front of the theater seats; a pair of nooses hung stage right, evidence perhaps of lynching.
—Jeffrey Gantz, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Mar. 2023
Although, based on their various states of repose around a woodstove, our six English setters and two Labradors give the impression that a day off is not too much of an imposition.
—Christine Cunningham, Anchorage Daily News, 20 Nov. 2021
The hour had come to repose the Blessed Sacrament, to move it from exposition to rest.
—New York Times, 26 June 2021
Vincenzo Anastagi, in field armor—the forty-four-year-old sergeant major of Castel Sant’Angelo seen in momentary repose in El Greco’s swagger portrait—commands the room with his suspicious, unflinching gaze.
—Colin B. Bailey, The New York Review of Books, 27 Apr. 2021
Explore the many natural beauties of the state that repose in its parks, beaches and mountains.
—WSJ, 13 Apr. 2021
Ojih Odutola's ability to capture movement and repose felt symbolic.
—Osayi Endolyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2020
Many of us saw it as an end-run around the Senate’s advice-and-consent power (Article II, Section 2), as a way to repose power in radical thinkers who stood no chance of being confirmed.
—Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 17 Apr. 2020
This influence is evident in the way the leads’ full frontal nudity, specifically, is shown in moments of quiet and repose.
—Eleanor Stanford, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2020
Verb
Some deconstructed skeletons, not all human, repose in front of the theater seats; a pair of nooses hung stage right, evidence perhaps of lynching.
—Jeffrey Gantz, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Mar. 2023
At that moment, the camera reached the last plate, upon which reposed Bunky.
—Anne Fadiman, Harper’s Magazine , 10 Feb. 2023
Answers repose after each cluster of questions.
—Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 July 2022
Although, based on their various states of repose around a woodstove, our six English setters and two Labradors give the impression that a day off is not too much of an imposition.
—Christine Cunningham, Anchorage Daily News, 20 Nov. 2021
The hour had come to repose the Blessed Sacrament, to move it from exposition to rest.
—New York Times, 26 June 2021
Vincenzo Anastagi, in field armor—the forty-four-year-old sergeant major of Castel Sant’Angelo seen in momentary repose in El Greco’s swagger portrait—commands the room with his suspicious, unflinching gaze.
—Colin B. Bailey, The New York Review of Books, 27 Apr. 2021
Explore the many natural beauties of the state that repose in its parks, beaches and mountains.
—WSJ, 13 Apr. 2021
Ojih Odutola's ability to capture movement and repose felt symbolic.
—Osayi Endolyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2020
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'repose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb (1)
Middle English, from Anglo-French reposer, from Late Latin repausare, from Latin re- + Late Latin pausare to stop, from Latin pausa pause
Verb (2)
Middle English, to replace, from Latin reponere (perfect indicative reposui)
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb (1)
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Verb (2)
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of repose was
in the 15th century
Phrases Containing repose
Articles Related to repose
Dictionary Entries Near repose
Cite this Entry
“Repose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repose. Accessed 31 Mar. 2023.
Kids Definition
repose
1 of 3 verb
re·pose
ri-ˈpōz 
reposed; reposing
1
: to lay at rest
reposed her head on a cushion
2
: to lie at rest
reposing on the couch
repose
2 of 3 noun1
: a state of resting after effort or strain
especially
: rest in sleep
2
: freedom from disturbance or excitement : calm
the repose of the forest
3
: absence or stopping of activity or movement
a face in repose
repose
3 of 3 verb
re·pose
reposed; reposing
1
: to place (as trust or confidence) in someone or something
2
: to place for control, management, or use
Etymology
Verb
Middle English reposen "to lay at rest," from early French reposer (same meaning), from Latin repausare (same meaning), from earlier re- "back, again" and pausare "to stop," from Latin pausa "a pause" — related to pause
Verb
Middle English reposen "to replace," from Latin reponere "replace"
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